Mark Ruffalo was all smiles as he posed for pictures and signed autographs on Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. The 46-year-old actor was in town to support Leilani Munter in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race, whose car sported an ad for Ruffalo’s The Solutions Project.

Ruffalo, Stanford professor Mark Jacobson, and two others founded The Solutions Project in 2011 to advocate for 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

Over the past several years, NASCAR has increased its commitment to environmental efforts.

Ruffalo said the race audience was very receptive to their message. Having Munter as the spokeswoman adds a lot of credibility. The 40-year-old driver has a degree in biology from UC San Diego, drives an electric Tesla Model S and even has solar panels on her North Carolina home.

Her motto?

“Never underestimate a vegetarian hippie chick with a race car.”

“What we want to say to people and what she is a perfect example of is you know we really don’t have to give up anything,” Ruffalo said. “You don’t have to give up NASCAR because we’re moving to a carbon-free structure and infrastructure of carbon-free energy environment. You can still have those things.”

One of the ways in which Munter’s team makes a positive impact is by using the same solar-based system in their pit area that the U.S. military uses.

About Lindsey Little

Lindsey Little is a holistic health coach currently residing in Baltimore, MD. She specializes in vegan and gluten-free living. When she's not in the kitchen creating delicious new recipes, Lindsey can be found doing yoga or curled up with a good book. Visit her at www.havelessbemore.com to learn more.

How can we get cleaner energy? We must use nuclear power, hydroelectric dams, geothermal and in some cases use renewables. But renewable energies which will be explained is not so green as it’s sold and renewables can do environmental damage. We must reduce our use of natural gas and coal and save these fossil fuels. Germany is building many coal plants to replace their nuclear powerplants and importing gas. Germany will be getting dirtier air from their coal plants.Windmills and solar panels, are sold as ‘green’, but they are not. They need more land, use more materials, generate less energy-both the wind and sun are intermittent. Windmills have killed endangered birds and bats. People who live near windmills have higher incidence of hearing loss, migraines, nausea, etc. Solar panels have dangerous chemicals some of which are carcinogenic. Yes, we must also use windmills and solar panels when possible, but let’s end the idea that windmills and solar panels are ‘green’. Windmills and solar (renewable energies) are based on how much sun and wind you get and when renewables don’t give enough, then coal as Germany does is used.

The main thing here is that we must save fossil fuels such as limiting natural gas to fuel cars and reduce coal usage. That’s why we must use nuclear/atomic power, geothermal and hydroelectric dams (when possible) combined. Nuclear/atomic energy has advanced greatly-they already use less Uranium which lasts longer & more energy. Thorium needs to be perfect. Physicist Kirk F. Sorensen is working to perfect the Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor. It must be said that people like me who support nuclear/atomic power also support geothermal, hydro-electric dams, etc. If a place can get 100% of it’s energy from hydroelectric dams as some places in Canada do, then those places uses hydro-electric & the need for nuclear is not there. If a place can get 100% of it’s energy from geothermal as Iceland does, then again, the need for nuclear/atomic energy is not there. Please know that those of us who support nuclear energy also support hydro-electric dams, geothermal, etc. We must use atomic/nuclear energy as well and know that there I am an environmentalist who supports nuclear energy.